Shredded Pork Tamale Pie

Okay, so I didn't make the tomatillo sauce and chiptole mashed potatoes today, instead I made tamale pie! This is very inexpensive to make, the Ro*tel is the most expensive ingredient at $.98+ a can. Total I'd say it cost between $3-5 to make and it can feed 4-8 people depending upon the portion size. This was my first time to make it and I altered the original recipe enough to warrant typing it up here. It came out super moist and spicy. If you don't like as much spice cut down or eliminate the cayenne. It was so yummy it's going to become a regular meal in my home.

Here's how I made it:

2-3 cups shredded pork
1 cup corn meal
1/2 cup milk
2 cups frozen corn
1 can Ro*tel
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water
Butter spray
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or any kind you like)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a pot, large sauce pan or skillet with deep sides, combine corn meal, milk, corn, Ro*tel, eggs, chili powder, cayenne pepper and salt. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes adding 1/4 cup water each time the mixture starts to get really thick and dough-like. There will be a small amount that will burn on the bottom of the pan, don't worry about this.

My pork was sitting in the fridge overnight so I reheated it in a small saucepan with 1/2 c water while I was stirring the corn meal mixture. The last few minutes of cooking I added the shredded pork to the corn mixture along with the water from the pan and stirred until combined and dough-like.

In a greased 2 qt baking dish (about 6"x10") pour the mixture and level. Bake for 30 minutes (another 10-15 minutes if your oven tends to under cook), remove and turn off heat in oven, sprinkle pie with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt. Remove again, cut into squares and serve.

Mexican rice or refried beans would be great side dishes for this meal.

*Frugal tip, you can use less meat the more finely you shred it. You'll still have all the flavor and never be able to tell there is less meat this way.